Connecting Miami — I-395 / SR 836 / I-95 Design-Build
A landmark $1.02 billion urban infrastructure transformation featuring six monumental sweeping arches — reconnecting Downtown Miami's historic neighborhoods and redefining the city's skyline for generations to come.
The I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project — branded "Connecting Miami" — is a landmark $1.02 billion urban infrastructure redevelopment currently underway in Downtown Miami. Centered around the Midtown Interchange, the project fundamentally transforms regional mobility, alleviates chronic traffic congestion, and physically reconnects historic neighborhoods divided by mid-20th-century highway construction.
At its centerpiece is a 1,025-foot signature span known as "The Fountain," featuring six monumental sweeping arches that will redefine Miami's skyline. The project also encompasses the complete reconstruction of SR 836 from NW 17th Avenue to the I-395/I-95 interchange, and extensive improvements to I-95.
Funded through a combination of state and federal transportation funds, this project represents the single largest transportation investment in Miami-Dade history, creating over 6,000 construction jobs while delivering lasting quality-of-life improvements to surrounding communities.
At the heart of Connecting Miami is one of the most architecturally complex bridges ever constructed in the United States — a 1,025-foot network tied-arch span unlike anything in the world.
Six monumental arches rise and lean at varying heights and angles, creating an asymmetric, fountain-like silhouette inspired by Miami's vibrant, dynamic identity. So unique, there is nothing like it in the world.
The main span stretches 1,025 feet across I-95, carrying I-395 traffic. The bridge deck is suspended from the arches by a network of inclined hangers — the most complex hanger geometry ever attempted in the U.S.
A programmable LED lighting system will illuminate the arches in shifting colors, transforming the bridge into a living landmark visible across Miami's skyline. A civic and cultural icon by day and night.
The bridge and surrounding underdeck spaces integrate commissioned public art, transforming previously blighted highway underpasses beneath the old I-395 into activated, community-serving spaces.
The bridge includes a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting Overtown to the Design District and Edgewater — part of 3.5 miles of new non-motorized paths across the project.
The Connecting Miami project encompasses a sweeping range of highway, bridge, marine, and urban design activities across the Downtown Miami interchange corridor.
Design and construction of the 1,025-foot "Fountain" network tied-arch bridge over I-95, featuring six sweeping arches, inclined hanger networks, and a shared pedestrian/cyclist path.
Complete reconstruction of SR 836 from NW 17th Avenue to the I-395/I-95 interchange, including new flyover ramps, improved geometry, and upgraded pavement for long-term performance.
Reconstruction and reconfiguration of the I-95 interchange to improve operational efficiency, add managed express lanes, and eliminate dangerous weave conflicts at the Midtown Interchange.
Deep foundation installation including drilled shafts and pile caps supporting the signature arch towers. Complex marine and urban site conditions required specialized geotechnical engineering solutions.
Construction of 3.5 miles of new shared-use paths, improved sidewalks, and connections to existing trail networks — linking Overtown, Park West, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Transformation of previously blighted highway underpasses into activated community spaces with public art, landscaping, lighting, and programming — restoring quality of life in Overtown and Park West.
Project Owner
The Florida Department of Transportation District 6 oversees the Connecting Miami project, which represents the largest design-build contract ever awarded in FDOT District 6 history.
fdot.govDesign-Build Contractor
A joint venture between Walsh Construction Company and Granite Construction — two of the nation's premier heavy civil contractors — leads all design and construction activities on the project.
walshgroup.comLead Design Engineer
HDR leads the design team, partnering with world-renowned bridge architect Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner (LAP) of Germany for the Signature Bridge's unique arch geometry and engineering.
hdrinc.comLocal Government Partner
Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami are key partners, co-coordinating community engagement, the underdeck activation program, and neighborhood reconnection initiatives in Overtown and Park West.
miamidade.govFederal Partner & Funder
FHWA provides federal funding and oversight for the project as part of the National Highway System, ensuring compliance with federal standards and environmental commitments.
fhwa.dot.govSignature Bridge Architect
The Stuttgart-based bridge engineering firm responsible for the iconic arch geometry and structural design of "The Fountain" — bringing world-class expertise in landmark bridge design to Miami.
lap-consult.com
The original I-395 elevated highway was constructed through Downtown Miami, physically severing the historic Overtown community from the rest of the city — a wound that persisted for six decades.
FDOT District 6 and community stakeholders begin planning a transformative replacement for the aging I-395. A design competition is launched to find a solution worthy of Miami's ambition.
The "Fountain" design by Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner is selected as the winning concept — six asymmetric, sweeping arches that will become Miami's most iconic piece of civil infrastructure.
FDOT District 6 awards the $1.02 billion design-build contract to the Walsh-Granite Joint Venture — the largest design-build contract in District 6 history. HDR Engineering leads the design team.
The existing I-395 elevated structure is demolished. Foundation and substructure work begins on the Midtown Interchange. SR 836 reconstruction commences. COVID-19 pandemic causes early delays.
The complex steel arch segments are fabricated off-site and begin arriving for erection. The first arch is completed in 2024, with all six arch structures rising across the Miami skyline.
All six arches are under active construction. Deck placement, hanger installation, SR 836 improvements, and underdeck activation work progressing simultaneously across the project corridor.
The Signature Bridge opens to traffic, transforming Miami's skyline and reconnecting Overtown and Park West to the broader city. The Connecting Miami project is complete.
Beyond transportation, Connecting Miami is fundamentally about healing the historic damage done by 1960s highway construction — restoring community connections and creating lasting quality-of-life improvements.
The new bridge design physically lowers the highway profile and activates the underdeck space, restoring street-level connections and community access long severed by the elevated I-395 structure.
Previously blighted highway underpasses are transformed into vibrant community destinations featuring commissioned murals, public plazas, programmed event spaces, and lush landscaping.
3.5 miles of new shared-use paths for pedestrians and cyclists connect Overtown, Park West, the Design District, and Edgewater, creating a continuous non-motorized mobility network through downtown.
Follow the latest milestones and construction progress from the I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project in Downtown Miami.
The first of six monumental arches on the I-395 Signature Bridge is completed, marking a transformative milestone in the project's history and offering Miami's first glimpse of the finished structure.
Construction of all six sweeping arch structures is actively underway. The complex inclined hanger geometry — the most elaborate ever attempted in the United States — is being installed progressively.
Aerial photography documents the full extent of construction activity across the Midtown Interchange corridor, showing simultaneous progress on the signature bridge, SR 836, and I-95 improvements.
Heavy steel arch segments — fabricated off-site to exacting tolerances — are craned into position and spliced together. The precision required for the asymmetric arch geometry is unprecedented.
FDOT District 6 awards the landmark $1.02 billion design-build contract to the Walsh-Granite Joint Venture — the largest design-build contract in District 6 history. Construction mobilizes shortly after.
Community stakeholders and public art teams are collaborating on the transformation of underdeck spaces beneath the Signature Bridge into activated public plazas, art installations, and green spaces.
Public project information, environmental documents, presentations, and resources related to the I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project.
Midtown Interchange
Downtown Miami, Florida
Florida Department of Transportation
District 6
1000 NW 111th Avenue
Miami, FL 33172
Active urban construction site operating under FDOT-approved maintenance of traffic plans. Nighttime lane closures occur regularly. Visit i395-miami.com for current traffic advisories.
Motorists traveling through the Downtown Miami / Midtown Interchange area should check i395-miami.com and fl511.com for current construction-related lane closures and detours.